Frank c



V(No Model.)

F. C. PRICKETT.

TROLLEY WIRE SUPPORT.v N0. 472,953. Patented-Apr. 12, 1892,.

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UNITED YSTATES FRANK O. PRIOKETT, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF PATENT OFFICE.

TO FREDERICK W. BRUOHMANN, OF SAME PLACE.

T'Ro LLEY-wl RE VsuAPPo RT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 472,953, dated April 12,1892.

Application tiled December 14, 1891. Serial No. 415.015. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: p

Be it known that I, FRANK C. PRICKETT, of Kansas City, Wyandotte county,Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTrolley-Tire Supports, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the'accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification.

Myinvention relates to that class of attachments used in electricrailways for supporting the main-line wire againstwhich the trolleys runin order to take off the current for transmission to the motors.

The objects of my invention are to produce a trolley-wire support whichshall be simple,`

durable, and inexpensive in construction and which shall at all timessupport the wires in proper position, particularly when weighted withaccumulations of ice, snow, sleet, and the like.

A further object of my invention is to produce a trolley-wire supportwhich can be readily placed in position and removed from position andwhich shall at all times insure the perfect insulation of thetrolley-wires from their supporting-posts and cross-wires of simi:

To the above purposes my invention consists in certain peculiar andnovel features of construction and arrangement, as hereinafter describedand claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed todescribe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure l is a perspective View of a trolleywire support embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same on theline 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the sameon the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section. ofthe same on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse verticalsection of the same on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detachedperspective view of the retainingplate.

In the said drawings, l designates the crossbar of the support, the saidbar being preferably of cast-iron or other metal adapted for thepurposes to be hereinafter explained, and being also either leftlperfectly plain or galvanized or otherwise protected against theweather. In any event the cross-bar is preferably of concavo-convexform, the concave side of the bar being lowermost and its con- Vex sidebeing uppermost. This form ofthe arms is interposed a spool 3, which isretained in position by a pin 4, the s aid pin passing transverselythrough the two arms and also longitudinally through the'spool. Thesetwo spools are preferably of glass, but may be of rubber, wood, or anyother insulatingk material or composition of insulating materials, ascircumstances mayrender desirable. To each of these spools is connectedone of the lsupporting or guy Wires 5, which extend oppositely fromeachother and the opposite or outer ends of which are suitably lsecuredto the usual posts, (not shown,) which are placed at the curbs of thestreet. Each of these guywires is shown as coiled around itscorresponding spool and then around itself, and it is to be understoodthat the guy-wires may be secured to their spools either in this precisemanner or in other suitable or preferred manner. It is also to beunderstood that Wire or other rope may be employed as the guys in lieuof the Wires 5.

6 designates the vertically-pendent bar of the support, this bar beingpreferably of copper or brass, but permissibly of any other materialwhich is a good electrical conductor. The upper portion 7 of thispendent bar is -reduced in transverse dimensions and is preferablysquare or angular in form, and, furthermore, said reduced portion is ofa length corresponding to the vertical thickness of the cross-bar 1.'From the upper end this reduced portion 7 is further reduced to forman.

externally-screw-threaded upwardly exten ding stem 8, as shown, uponwhich is screwed a nut 9. The arrangement is such that when the partsjust described are properly assembled and the nut 9 screwed home firmlythe said nut binds up the upper side of the crossbar 1 at the middlethereof, while the shoulder left by the reduced portion 7 binds firmlyagainst the under -side of said cross-bar at the corresponding point,and consequently both bars are securely, although detachably, connectedtogether. The pendent bar 6 is of hat form, and also gradually expandsin Width from its.upper to its lower end, as shown. f In one side ofthis pendent bar 6 is formed a shallow recess or cavity 10, the outerside walls or margins of which diverge outwardly and downwardly tothetwo opposite lower corners of the bar, while the bottom margin ofsaid cavity is of segmental or arched form, a projection 11 being thusleft at the lower end of the bar 6, the outer surface of which is ushwith the corresponding outer side of the bar. l

12 designates a segmental or arched form groove, which is formed in thelower part of the bar 6 and which extends transversely thereof when saidbar is viewed toward its side. This groove communicates at its outerside with the cavity 10, and the lower margin of the groove correspondswith ythe upper margin of AJthe projection 11, said groove furthermoreopening at its ends atl the two opposite lower corners of the bar 6. Ateach extremity of this groove 12 its upper wall or margin is formed witha recess 13 for a purpose to be presently described, and midway of itslength the lower margin of the groove is formed with a recess ordepression 14, also for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The uppermargin of the groove 12 midway of its length is also formed with recess15, the purpose of which will likewise be eX- plained. 16 designates acovering or retaining plate, which is also preferably of copper,brass,.or other material which is a good conductor of electricity, andthe side edges or v margins of which diverge outwardlyand downwardly,while its lower margin is of segmental form, the said plate thuscorresponding in marginal form with the cavity 10 and with the uppermargin of the projection 11. This plate is secured removably in positionby a screw 17, which passes through an opening 18 in the upper part ofthe plate and into an internally-screw-threaded socket in thecorresponding part of the bar 6, the plate being thus firmly butremovably attached to the bar 6, so as to cover and close the cavity 10.On its inner side near its lower segmental marginthe covering orretainingplate 16 is formed with a segmental flange 19, which isparallel with the said lower margin of the plate and which is at acertain distance from said margin, as hereinafter described.

Ata point midway of the length of the flange, 19 the plate 16 is formed(on its inner side) 'with an inwardly-extending lug or projection 20,the purpose of which will be fully explained.

The action of the above-named structure is as follows: The cross-barl,having been properly connected to the guys v5, and the latter havingbeen properly connected to the posts, the line-wire '21 is laid in thegroove 12. That portion of the wire which is within the groove 12 issubjected to a crimping operation by a suitable vimplement for thepurpose, and is forced downward into the recess 14 and'upward into thetwo recesses 13, so as to prevent the wire from slipping longitudinallyin the groove. The retaining or closing plate is now placed in positionand secured removably therein by its screw 17. When in this position,the flange 19 of the plate 16 prevents the wire from rising o'ut of thegroove, and

this action is insured bythe projection 20,

construction, easily applied and removed, ca"

pable of perfectly insulating t\e trolley-wire from its posts, and soconstructed as to absolutely prevent the falling of the Wire.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, ir-

1. An improvedV support for trolley-wires, comprising a vertical barhaving at one side a cavity, and a groove communicating with said cavityat its lower margin and opening at opposite sides of the bar, and aretainingplate connected to the side of the bar and overlying the cavityand groove, substantially as set forth.

2. An improved trolley-wiresupport comprising a cross-bar, a verticalbar connected IOO to said cross-bar and provided at one side with positesides of the bar, and a retaining-plate connected to the side of thebarand covering the cavity and groove, substantially as set forth. v

3. An improved trolley-wire support comprising a vertical bar having acavity in one of its sides, and a curved groove formed in said bar andcommunicating with the cavity at the lower margin thereof and providedwith recesses in its upper and lower margins, substantially as setforth.

4t. An improved trolley-wire support comprisiug a vertical bar having acavity in one of its sides, a curved groove formed in the lower part ofthe bar and communicating with the 'cavity at the lower margin thereof,and a 'retaining-plate covering` said Cavity and having on its innerside a flange eonformin g to the shape of the groove, substantially asset forth.

5. An improved trolley-Wire support comprising a vertical bar having@.oaviby in one of its sides and provided with L curvedgroove.communicating with said Cavity, and a retaining-plate covering saidcavity and pro-l vided on its inner side With a Hnge conform- Witnesses:

JNO. L. OoNDRoN, G. Y. THORPE.

